Rafael Nadal on Thursday announced that he will retire at the end of the season, ending a career that brought 22 Grand Slam titles, global respect and inspired epic, iconic rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

"I am retiring from professional tennis," Nadal said in a video on social media. The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially.

"It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But in this life everything has a beginning and an end."